Titlis
Encyclopedia
The Titlis is a mountain in the Urner
Alps
of Switzerland
. It is located on the border between the cantons of Obwalden
and Berne
in Switzerland
, overlooking Engelberg
(Obwalden) and is famous as the site of the world's first revolving cable car. The cable car system connects Engelberg to the summit of Klein Titlis (3,028 m) through the three stages of Gerschnialp (1,262 m), Trübsee
(1,796 m) and Stand (2,428 m).
The last part of cable car way leads above the glacier
. In Klein Titlis, it is possible to visit a glacier cave
.
on the north and Gadmen
on the south. The summit lies west of the Grassen
, where the borders between the cantons of Obwalden
, Nidwalden
and Berne
converge. The geographical center of the country
is situated about 15 kilometers from the mountain.
The Titlis is the highest mountain in the portion of the Urner Alps north of the Susten Pass
. This part of the range is located between the valleys of the Hasli
(west) and the Reuss (east), thus separating the waters feeding the basins of the Aar and Reuss respectively. On the north side the valley of Engelberg (Engelbergertal) is drained by the Engelberger Aa
, a tributary of the Reuss. The valley is located southwards from Lake Lucerne
.
The northern side of the massif is covered by the Titlis Glacier (Titlisgletscher). The south steep and rocky face rises above the Wenden Glacier. The east side overlooks a glacier named Firnalpeligletscher.
are the nearest western neighbours to the mountain, slightly lower than the Titlis, but with sharp rugged peaks. In a document of 1435 the mountain is called Tuttelsberg (Tutilos mountain), referencing to a man named Tutilos, who was probably a local farmer. The name, from Tutilos Berg, became Titlisberg and later Titlis.
The first ascent of the Titlis was probably made in the year 1739. It was done by Ignaz Herz, J. E. Waser and two other men from Engelberg. The first written evidence of an ascent is found in the Engelberger Dokumente. They mention a party of four men that reached the summit in 1744.
On 21 January 1904 the first ski ascent of the Titlis was made by Joseph Kuster and Willi Amrhein.
In March 1967 the cable car to the Klein Titlis (3,032 m) was inaugurated.
, thus it has a cold, snowy climate with permanent snow cover and freezing temperatures.
Urner Alps
The Urner Alps are a mountain range in central Switzerland in the western part of the Alps. They extend into the cantons of Obwalden, Valais, Lucerne, Bern, Uri and Nidwalden and are bordered by the Bernese Alps to the west, the Lepontine Alps to the south and the Glarus Alps to the east.The Urner...
Alps
Swiss Alps
The Swiss Alps are the portion of the Alps mountain range that lies within Switzerland. Because of their central position within the entire Alpine range, they are also known as the Central Alps....
of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. It is located on the border between the cantons of Obwalden
Obwalden
Obwalden is a canton of Switzerland. It is located in the centre of Switzerland. The population is 33,997 of which 4,043 are foreigners. Its capital is Sarnen. The canton contains the geographical centre of Switzerland.-History:...
and Berne
Canton of Berne
The Canton of Bern is the second largest of the 26 Swiss cantons by both surface area and population. Located in west-central Switzerland, it borders the Canton of Jura and the Canton of Solothurn to the north. To the west lie the Canton of Neuchâtel, the Canton of Fribourg and Vaud. To the south...
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, overlooking Engelberg
Engelberg
Engelberg is a village in the canton of Obwalden in Switzerland. Engelberg has a population of . , 21.0% of the population was made up of foreign nationals.It is the leading mountain resort in central Switzerland...
(Obwalden) and is famous as the site of the world's first revolving cable car. The cable car system connects Engelberg to the summit of Klein Titlis (3,028 m) through the three stages of Gerschnialp (1,262 m), Trübsee
Trübsee
Trübsee is a mountain lake in Switzerland, at the foot of the Titlis. Trübsee is above Engelberg, reacheable from this town by cable car or after rather long walking uphill....
(1,796 m) and Stand (2,428 m).
The last part of cable car way leads above the glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
. In Klein Titlis, it is possible to visit a glacier cave
Glacier cave
A glacier cave is a cave formed within the ice of a glacier. Glacier caves are often called ice caves, but this term is properly used to describe bedrock caves that contain year-round ice.-Overview:...
.
Geography
The Titlis is located between the municipalities of EngelbergEngelberg
Engelberg is a village in the canton of Obwalden in Switzerland. Engelberg has a population of . , 21.0% of the population was made up of foreign nationals.It is the leading mountain resort in central Switzerland...
on the north and Gadmen
Gadmen
Gadmen is a municipality in the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.The name Gadmen comes from the Old High German "gadum," meaning barn or small house, and was first mentioned in 1382....
on the south. The summit lies west of the Grassen
Grassen
Grassen is a mountain in the Urner Alps. It is located near Engelberg in Switzerland. The summit is the tripoint between the cantons of Berne, Obwalden and Uri.-External links:*...
, where the borders between the cantons of Obwalden
Obwalden
Obwalden is a canton of Switzerland. It is located in the centre of Switzerland. The population is 33,997 of which 4,043 are foreigners. Its capital is Sarnen. The canton contains the geographical centre of Switzerland.-History:...
, Nidwalden
Nidwalden
Nidwalden is a canton of Switzerland. It is located in the centre of Switzerland. The population is 40,287 of which 4,046 are foreigners. The capital is Stans.-History:...
and Berne
Canton of Berne
The Canton of Bern is the second largest of the 26 Swiss cantons by both surface area and population. Located in west-central Switzerland, it borders the Canton of Jura and the Canton of Solothurn to the north. To the west lie the Canton of Neuchâtel, the Canton of Fribourg and Vaud. To the south...
converge. The geographical center of the country
Geographical centre of Switzerland
The geographical centre of Switzerland has the coordinates . It is located at Älggi-Alp in the municipality of Sachseln, Obwalden. The point is the centre of mass determined in 1988 by Swisstopo....
is situated about 15 kilometers from the mountain.
The Titlis is the highest mountain in the portion of the Urner Alps north of the Susten Pass
Susten Pass
Susten Pass is a mountain pass in the Swiss Alps. The pass road, built from 1938–1945, connects Innertkirchen in the canton of Bern with Wassen in the canton of Uri...
. This part of the range is located between the valleys of the Hasli
Haslital
The Hasli region is a historical Landvogtei or Talschaft in the Bernese Oberland, Switzerland, bordering on the cantons of Obwalden, Uri and Wallis...
(west) and the Reuss (east), thus separating the waters feeding the basins of the Aar and Reuss respectively. On the north side the valley of Engelberg (Engelbergertal) is drained by the Engelberger Aa
Engelberger Aa
Engelberger Aa is a river in Switzerland. It rises west of Surenenpass in the Canton of Uri, flows through the valley of Engelberg and Nidwalden. At Buochs, it empties into Lake Lucerne. It is a tributary of the river Reuss....
, a tributary of the Reuss. The valley is located southwards from Lake Lucerne
Lake Lucerne
Lake Lucerne is a lake in central Switzerland and the fourth largest in the country.The lake has a complicated shape, with bends and arms reaching from the city of Lucerne into the mountains. It has a total area of 114 km² , an elevation of 434 m , and a maximum depth of 214 m . Its volume is 11.8...
.
The northern side of the massif is covered by the Titlis Glacier (Titlisgletscher). The south steep and rocky face rises above the Wenden Glacier. The east side overlooks a glacier named Firnalpeligletscher.
History
In earlier times, the Titlis was known under the names Wendenstock or Nollen. The Reissend Nollen and the WendenstöckeWendenstöcke
The Wendenstöcke is a mountain in the Urner Alps in Switzerland, within the Canton of Bern.-External links:*...
are the nearest western neighbours to the mountain, slightly lower than the Titlis, but with sharp rugged peaks. In a document of 1435 the mountain is called Tuttelsberg (Tutilos mountain), referencing to a man named Tutilos, who was probably a local farmer. The name, from Tutilos Berg, became Titlisberg and later Titlis.
The first ascent of the Titlis was probably made in the year 1739. It was done by Ignaz Herz, J. E. Waser and two other men from Engelberg. The first written evidence of an ascent is found in the Engelberger Dokumente. They mention a party of four men that reached the summit in 1744.
On 21 January 1904 the first ski ascent of the Titlis was made by Joseph Kuster and Willi Amrhein.
In March 1967 the cable car to the Klein Titlis (3,032 m) was inaugurated.
Weather
The summit of the Titlis is located above the snow lineSnow line
The climatic snow line is the point above which snow and ice cover the ground throughout the year. The actual snow line may seasonally be significantly lower....
, thus it has a cold, snowy climate with permanent snow cover and freezing temperatures.